FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 13, 2021

Contact: Violet Cavendish
vcavendish@mpp.org

Republican Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Federally Legalize Cannabis

Statement from Steve Hawkins, MPP’s executive director, on the latest federal cannabis reform bill, the Common Sense Cannabis Reform for Veterans, Small Businesses, and Medical Professionals Act

Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday, Reps. David Joyce (R-OH) and Don Young (R-AK) introduced the Common Sense Cannabis Reform for Veterans, Small Businesses, and Medical Professionals Act, a bill that would federally legalize cannabis.

In response to this news, Steve Hawkins, the executive director at the Marijuana Policy Project, released the following statement:

“With an overwhelming majority of Americans supporting the end of cannabis prohibition, it’s clear that our country has a mandate to create a legal industry that supports both medical and adult-use. It’s a bipartisan issue and The Common Sense Cannabis Reform for Veterans, Small Businesses, and Medical Professionals Act introduced today by Reps. David Joyce (R-OH) and Don Young (R-AK) is a promising step forward.

“MPP is hopeful that subsequent negotiations and versions of this bill will include robust social justice and equity provisions to address the devastation caused by prohibition and the failed War on Drugs. Federal legalization must be drafted and regulated to provide social and economic justice for the millions of lives upended by discrimination and unequal enforcement. By including those most harmed, we can build an equitable, well-regulated, and inclusive cannabis industry from the ground up.”

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Founded in 1995, the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) is the nation’s leading cannabis policy reform organization. MPP has played a central role in passing dozens of cannabis policy reforms in states across the country, including 14 successful cannabis legalization campaigns, and also works to advance federal reforms.

Visit www.mpp.org for more information.